The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-11-24
Fred Douglass monaghan scbemA,

/ DrOuBnt De1Oro lt.-BaltlmOre American,
Fred Douglass Monaghan Scheme.
From the St. Louis Globe Democrat
The plan proposed by Frederic Doug
lass for the solution of the negro problem
Is triumph of simplicity, it must be ad-
United, to begin with. He would relieve
the colored people of their wrongs and
mistortunes by importing a sufficient
NUMBER or Chinese to assume said bur-
dens, and to divert the attention of those
who have become so accustomed to the
persecution of an "inferior race" that
they cannot get along without that sort
OF diversion. Under such an arrange
ment Mr.. Douglass contends, "the aues-
ton would be not what shall be done with
the negro, but what shall be done with
the MongolianW In other words, the
war against the negro would cease by
reason of the provocation offered for hos
tility toward another form of laborer.
The logic of the proposition is clear and
conclusive, supposing, of course, that the
bulldozinR element in the south is not
particular as to what class of persons it
operates upon so long as they are not
strictly Caucasian. 1t is necessary, also,
to believe that the Chinese would gladly
flock to our shores for the purpose of
being thus dealt with in the interest of
the negro race; and it is due to Mr.. Doug
lass to say that he does not appear to
have any doubt upon that point.
There is good deal of truth in the
suggestion that the NEGRO has too often
taken pay for his work in promises of
going to heaven when he dies" and it
may be, as Mr.. Douglass insists, that the
Chinaman's carelessness as to the future
welfare of his 81 ul adspts him in pecu-
liar way to the task of enduring injustice
and thriving in spite of prejudice and
oppression. Certainly the Celestial man
and brother scan live where 9th
ers would starve," and it il
worth remembering, at the same
time, that his ability to exist on short ra-
ions makes it possible for him to do
work at prices which put competition out
of the question. In case Mr.. Douglass
plan should be adopted, therefore, might
it not easily result in giving the Chinese
monopoly of the employment which is in
dispensable under any circumstances to
the support and prosperity of the colered
racer We are afraid Mr.. Douglass has
overlooked this interesting and important
must have work to meet their ordinary
physical wants while they are carrying
out the philanthropio scheme of saving
the freedmen from the bulldozers; and
that work must manifestly be obtained
by undertaking other laborers in the
matter of wages, and thus lesseniDg the
chances of the latter to get ahead in the
world.
1t is very we'll known that the colored
men in the south are now obliged to work
for wages which barely sufiice to keep soul
and body together. This is one OF the
chief sources of complaint and unhappi-
ness on their part; and Mr.. Douglass
proposes to remedy the evil, singularly
enough, by introducing a new class of la
borers who ''can live where others would
starve," and whose presence would newt
ably tend to make wages lower rather
than higher. The average present rate
of pay for farm labor in that section of
the country is only $8 per month. That
Is not enough, it is easy to say; but the
Chinaman knows how TO subsist and TO
save money on less than that, and IL is
not to be doubted that he would take work
wherever he could find it, at such prices as
he could get, regardless of the fact that
his principal business was to put an end
to the war npon the negro by becoming a
voluntary target for the sings and arrows
people might escape certain kind and
degree of trOuble in that way, but they
would most assuredly pay for it in mis-
fortune of another kind and of an equally
serious measure. Mr.. Douglass can read
lily understand that the coming of his
Mongolian delIverers would not exempt
the negroes from the necessity of toll, nor
increase the amount of work TO be done;
but it would unquestionably reduce wages
TO the Chinese standard and give south
ern capitalists and employers still
greater opportunities of tyranny and
robbery than they now possess.
The sober and practices! truth is that the
salvation of the freedmen can be worked
out only by themselves. There is no short
cut for them to condition OF perfect COM
fort and contentment The ills by which
they are beset can not possibly be oven
come by any process of relief based upon
the idea of vicarious shouldering OF their
burdens by some other class of people.
They must do their own striving and con-
queriDg to great extent, or it will not be
done at all; and the sooner they make up
their minds to this fact the sooner will
they begin TO make substantial and satis-
factory Roadway against adverse inHu-
ences. Mr.. Douglass means we'll by them,
bat the plan of action which he proposes
has nothing in II 10 command approval or
encouragement. On the contrary, IL 10
calculated 10 do harm in every respect,
coming from such man, at time when
the race needs to be taught, above every
thing else, the value of self-reliance.
More than twenty years have passed since
the war closed and slavery was abolished;
and it is now forever too late TO talk about
solving the problem OF the Negroes safety
and welfare according to any theory ex-
cept that of plain and pereeyering COM
pliance with the general philosophy of
human progress. There can be no excep-
ton made in favor of the freedman over
any other citizen. Civilization offers to
him the same chances that it presents to
all other men, and his future, like theirs,
depends mainly upon his personal cour-
age, industry and fortitude. He can suc-
coed by deserving success, that is to say;
and otherwise he will fail, no matter how
much may be done for him in the name of
charity and philanthropy.